Royally Screwed: A Royal Affair Series, #2

By Lexy Timms

Iron hand in a velvet glove...

 

 

Prince Niko Priestly, the next king to a small country, doesn't want the job. 

 

The Prince has fallen in love with his tutor, a beautiful American exchange student with a generous heart.

He tries his best to wine and dine her, taking her all across the country in private helicopters. The problem is, he didn't tell her that the king and queen of Eldinburgh are determined for him to marry someone else.

 

He is their son, the prince of this tiny European nation, and he's been betrothed to the daughter of one of the king's allies for years.

 

When the other woman shows up on Niko's doorstep, will it ruin his chance at true love, or can he fight back against the tradition holding him captive?

 

A Royal Affair Series

• Book 1 – Royally F*cked
• Book 2 – Royally Screwed
• Book 3 – Royally Obsessed

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dark Shadow Publishing
• Release date: Feb 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201758615

Lexy Timms

"Love should be something that lasts forever, not is lost forever."  Visit USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, LEXY TIMMS https://www.facebook.com/SavingForever *Please feel free to connect with me and share your comments. I love connecting with my readers.* Sign up for news and updates and freebies - I like spoiling my readers! http://eepurl.com/9i0vD website: www.lexytimms.com Dealing in Antique Jewelry and hanging out with her awesome hubby and three kids, Lexy Timms loves writing in her free time.  MANAGING THE BOSSES is a bestselling 10-part series dipping into the lives of Alex Reid and Jamie Connors. Can a secretary really fall for her billionaire boss?

Book preview

A Royal Affair Series

Timeline Description automatically generated with low confidence

Book 1 – Royally F*cked

Book 2 – Royally Screwed

Book 3 – Royally Obsessed

Find Lexy Timms:

Lexy Timms Logo black aqua

LEXY TIMMS NEWSLETTER:

https://www.lexytimms.com/newsletter

Lexy Timms Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/LexyTimmsAuthor

Lexy Timms Website:

http://www.lexytimms.com

The Boss Box Set BOOKBUB Small1

Want to read more...

For FREE?

Sign up for Lexy Timms’ newsletter

And she’ll send you updates on new releases, ARC copies of books and a whole lotta fun!

Sign up for news and updates!

https://www.lexytimms.com/newsletter

Royally Screwed Blurb

Text, whiteboard Description automatically generated

PRINCE NIKO PRIESTLY, the next king to a small country, doesn’t want the job. 

Prince Niko is in love with his tutor, a beautiful American exchange student with a generous heart.

He tries his best to wine and dine her, taking her all across the country in private helicopters. The problem is, he didn’t tell her that the king and queen of Eldinburgh are determined for him to marry someone else.

He is their son, the prince of this tiny European nation, and he’s been betrothed to the daughter of one of the king’s allies for years.

When the other woman shows up on Niko’s doorstep, will it ruin his chance at true love, or will he fight back against the tradition holding him captive?

A picture containing text, night sky Description automatically generatedText, whiteboard Description automatically generated

Chapter 1

Alora

THE KISS WAS ELECTRIC. Niko stood there in front of me on the sidewalk. The air was crisp, and the night was promising. I leaned forward to press my lips to his, silencing any doubt. I was into him—my actions proved it. I could no longer pretend that I wanted only friendship.

Gone were the protests of professional behavior. I was his tutor, but I also wanted more. After spending the evening learning everything I could about his family and his history, I saw him in a new light. He wasn’t the overprivileged slacker I thought he was. He was a prince, and he was doing the best he could to juggle his desires with the needs of his country.

I understood why he was so frustrated with the path laid out before him. I didn’t have a plan, but I knew I cared for him. All those dangerous suggestions he made about getting closer swarmed through my head. From the moment he met me, he had been thinking the same thing.

I plowed through all the nonsense with one unmistakable gesture that would change the course of my life forever. I kissed the crown prince of Eldinburgh. Me, Alora Maguire, exchange student all the way from South Carolina, had the audacity to plant my flag into the most eligible bachelor in the country.

He stiffened at first, shocked by my play. But he warmed quickly, wrapping his arm around my waist. We fell headfirst into the exchange, realizing that this was something that both of us needed.

I could feel his chest, broad beneath his military uniform. His lungs were working overtime, fighting to regain their equilibrium. I tasted wine and salt from the steak he had been eating.

It was the most perfect kiss I had ever experienced. No sweaty encounter in a friend’s basement—this was a declaration of affection. I held him captive, reveling in my power. He melted into me, assuming the role of provider.

In that one exchange, I could tell he was experienced. The way his lips moved against mine told me he had done this before. My heart leapt, free from the shackles of indecision. There was a long road ahead, but we would walk it together.

I broke it off as swiftly as I had offered it, leaving him standing alone out in the cold. Jumping into the back seat of my rideshare, I slammed the door. Blood thundered through my ears, thrilled with the possibilities.

He looked confused, unable to process what had just happened. I watched as the driver pulled away from the curb, Niko standing on the sidewalk, stunned. I did that to him. I was the one who made the decision not only to continue our relationship, but to take it to the next level.

I didn’t know where the strength to do that came from. I was tied up in knots over him. All those nights when I dreamed about getting to know him better contrasted with the days I spent holding him at arm’s length. That was all over. With one impulsive action, I wiped the slate clean and brought us to a new level of intimacy.

It was dangerous, this flirtation with royalty. I didn’t know how his parents would react or what the paparazzi would have to say when they got wind of it. I didn’t know what Niko would say when I saw him next. Would he welcome this new direction, or would he retreat into duty and honor, letting me know I wasn’t worthy of his attention?

I remembered my previous daydream, that Niko would be just an ordinary boy in my chemistry class. I wanted the freedom to date him, to stand on equal footing as a potential romantic partner. But he wasn’t just a boy—he was His Royal Highness, prince of Eldinburgh. He had rules and regulations he had to follow. He had a kingdom to rule one day. I was crazy to think he could spend any time with a lowly foreigner.

It was the most impulsive thing I had ever done. The liberties I took with him were outrageous. He said he didn’t have to marry a princess, but that didn’t mean he was free to date whomever he pleased. I should have been more circumspect. I should have gotten into the cab without kissing him. I should have stayed in my lane and been happy with what life gave me. But his gentle attention was overwhelming.

I knew he wanted me as much as I wanted him, maybe more. Whatever magic I had in my back pocket that could attract someone of such high standing was working that night. I felt high, and I didn’t know if it was from the wine or from the kiss. Both of them were settling deep into my bones, warming me from within.

I watched Niko as the car drove away. He grew smaller and smaller with the distance until the driver turned a corner. Only then did I sit forward in my seat, reminiscing about the events that had so recently unfolded.

He took me to Chez Marc, a fancy French restaurant with meals that were easily a hundred raffits per plate. Raffits were the currency of the realm, more valuable than dollars. My own meal, a salad featuring several different cuts of meat, was probably worth a hundred and fifty dollars back home. It was ridiculous to think about spending that much money on food. Back in my apartment, my cupboards were full of ramen and peanut butter, dense items that could be purchased for next to nothing.

Niko lived in a different world. Even after peppering him with questions, there was so much I didn’t know. Did he eat out like that often? Did he have normal friends who knew he was the prince? What were his days like?

I knew he had bodyguards; he’d pointed them out to me. I knew he had money; he had given me some of it for tutoring him. I knew he had a car and a driver to take him wherever he wanted to go, and yet still I needed to know more.

I resolved to google him when I had a chance. He told me to do it while we were at the restaurant. A thousand images popped up of Niko at official functions, always wearing his uniform, always smiling.

I was stunned. How had I not known he was the prince? It wasn’t as if the entire country was in on the plot to keep me in the dark. Niko himself had chosen to reveal his identity only after one of his bodyguards quit right in front of me. If that didn’t happen, would I still be blissfully unaware?

I considered all that I had learned in the space of one short dinner. Niko hated his position. He didn’t want to be king, and yet, he felt enough civic duty not to buck convention. He put up with the bodyguards and the paparazzi because it was all he knew. Yet, he had enough sense of self to disobey his mother when she demanded that he get another tutor.

He’d found me through my advertising. I needed the money, and in addition to my own course load, I helped other struggling university students ace their classes. I knew I could help Niko. Other clients had been equally uninterested in their studies. Maybe not as apathetic as Niko, but close.

I originally thought that he was from a rich family. I thought they had bought his way into the university and were expecting him to graduate and take over the family business. Boy had I been wrong. He passed his classes not because of his father’s money, but because his family ruled the country. No teacher would dare flunk him.

He didn’t need a tutor. He could have coasted through his senior year just like he did every other year. But Niko had chosen to get his life together. He wanted to do better, although he lacked the drive.

He didn’t understand or appreciate the importance of things like math and literature. His father taught him all about reading a room, about analyzing body language to determine what it meant for the outcome of a meeting. Niko was good at that.

I was hot and cold toward him from the beginning. There was a war waging within me over his clear determination to pursue a romantic relationship. I wanted to focus on getting my degree. I had a plan for my life, and it didn’t include dating. I was going to be a scientist, a researcher who would contribute to the accumulated knowledge of mankind.

I’d come all the way to Eldinburgh just to avoid the natural pattern that people back home succumbed to. I didn’t want marriage and a family. I didn’t want a house in the suburbs. I didn’t want the mediocre life that would have come with a boyfriend in South Carolina.

What Niko was offering was different. He wasn’t the type of overachieving bookworm that usually caught my eye. He liked video games more than books, had a vast array of friends, and enjoyed partying until dawn. He didn’t focus on his classes, and as a result, his grades were abysmal. Yet he had a presence that was undeniable.

I hardly noticed as the car left the entertainment district, drove through downtown, and arrived near the university. I had an apartment off campus with my best friend, Missy. She, like Niko, was more of a social butterfly than I was. I went from work to home and back again in the summer. While school was in session, I limited myself to classes and tutoring sessions.

Missy was a native Eldinburghian. She had grown up in this country and knew the royal family by heart. When I told her I had a date with Niko, her radar went up. But at that time, I didn’t know Niko’s last name, and she assumed that it was a different man we were talking about.

I couldn’t wait to fill her in on the details. She would be so jealous. She was always pressuring me to come out with her, to go to clubs and have one more drink. I constantly shot her down, begging off to study or to sleep. This time, I was the one with a romantic triumph to announce. I had taken a step into the breach, been bold and decisive. I knew she would approve.

The driver let me out on the curb. Niko had already paid her, so she just drove away, leaving me alone on my doorstep. I took the stairs up to my apartment, floating past the landings. I didn’t know what was in store for my future, but I didn’t care. I liked him, and he liked me.

I walked into the apartment in a haze. Dropping my purse on the kitchen table, I didn’t know what to do. I was so focused on getting home because that was what I always did. I hid from the world and kept to myself. Having arrived, I felt confused. Suddenly, I didn’t want to be alone. I wanted to be back at the restaurant with Niko, enjoying one last glass of wine.

Missy was sitting on the couch, scrolling through social media. She wore pajamas and had a beer in her lap. Without looking up, she reached a hand across the back of the sofa and called out to me.

How did it go?

I didn’t know how to respond. There were no words to describe my evening. I had just kissed the crown prince and then left him on the curb. My actions shocked me. I realized that no one else in the entire country would dare follow in my footsteps.

Alora? Missy asked, finally lowering her device.

Suddenly, I didn’t want to talk about it. If I opened my mouth and shared all the details, it would ruin the magic. I wanted to keep my relationship with Niko private. It was no one else’s business. Even Missy, my best friend, would bring all sorts of preconceived notions to the announcement.

I didn’t know where things were going with Niko. There was no possibility of a real future. I didn’t envision myself as a princess or a queen. I didn’t even know if I could be his girlfriend or not. But the kiss wasn’t about any of that. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision that I didn’t regret. It was an expression of my interest in getting to know him better. It was a culmination of all the evenings I spent fantasizing about him.

Fine, I said robotically. I’m going to go to bed.

Wait. Missy set her beer down on the coffee table and hopped up. You have to tell me what happened.

Nothing happened, I lied.

Well, how did the date go? Did he appreciate the dress? What did you order? She knew I had been to Chez Marc and that it was one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city. She had loaned me a dress for the evening because I didn’t own anything that was appropriate. She didn’t usually stay home at night, and odds were that she had been waiting for me to make an appearance so that she could pump me for information.

He liked the dress, I responded. I think.

Of course he liked it. You look fabulous, Missy asserted. What else?

I had a salad that was mostly meat.

Missy frowned. What kind of salad was that?

I don’t know. It had some kind of French name. He ordered it.

She crossed her arms over her chest, already judging him. "He ordered it?"

Yes, I admitted. I was preoccupied.

With what?

I could see that she wasn’t going to let me go. I would have to confess. I didn’t want to lie, and in my present state of disbelief, I couldn’t come up with anything that sounded reasonable.

I really can’t— I tried, moving to circumnavigate her blockade.

What? she demanded. Just tell me.

He’s the prince, I blurted out.

Missy stared at me, not comprehending.

He’s Niko Priestley, the prince of Eldinburgh.

Missy’s jaw dropped. I could see the wheels turning in her head. Details clicked into place, and a smile spread across her lips. Oh. My... Wow. Just wow.

I laughed. Sharing the news felt wonderful. You can’t tell anyone, I admonished.

Oh my... Wow, she said again. Seriously?

I didn’t know because I’m not from here, and it never occurred to me to research the royal family.

You don’t have to research them, Missy cried, not hiding her excitement. They’re all over the news. How could you not know?

I don’t know! I replied, feeling stupid. I just didn’t. I thought he was just some normal rich person.

Missy spun on her heels, pacing to the window and back. "He paid you two hundred raffits for tutoring him."

Four hundred, I corrected her.

And he asked you out on a date! She came to the same conclusion I had, that my life had taken a fairy-tale turn.

It wasn’t much of a date, I allowed. He just told me who he was, and then I asked him a lot of questions.

What’s he like? She sat back down on the couch, leaning in.

I joined her, shedding my coat. He’s annoying and charming at the same time. He hates school, and he doesn’t want to be the king. But he’s also very good with people. He was telling me that his dad taught him how to read body language.

Wow.

Yeah, and he went to private school while he was growing up, and he’s only at the university because he wants to be. I felt the floodgates